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Trump’s war on the Fed shows why RBA independence matters

While political interference in the RBA is far less insidious here, we shouldn’t be complacent about the potential for undue influence.

latest 10

Financial Review

The Afr View

Writers’ boycott shows just how broken our culture has become

The seriousness of the change that has overcome this country lies in the sudden waning of the taboo on antisemitic thought that had prevailed for...

latest 10

Financial Review

John Carroll

The war on hate must be fought online

Whether it’s a Labor or Coalition bill that become law, our politicians are fighting a 21st century problem with a 20th century solution.

latest 10

Financial Review

Ronald Mizen

Fighting antisemitism with sloppy hate laws is a dangerous gamble

When dealing with laws that substantially affect our rights and freedoms, getting the wording right is not a technicality – it is the substance.

latest 10

Financial Review

Lorraine Finlay

Australia’s universities are talking about antisemitism, not stopping it

Action in relation to the now normalised antisemitism at our universities is lacking a sense of urgency.

latest 10

Financial Review

David Knoll

Anti-Trump posts caught up with Rudd in Washington

Rudd’s successor will need to have more than exceptional credentials. They must also have the “X-factor” that gets them meaningful access to the...

yesterday 10

Financial Review

The Afr View

Rushed vilification laws risk overreach on free speech

When governments seek to regulate speech, we should be cautious, sceptical and wary of possible overreach that would compromise Australia’s liberal...

yesterday 7

Financial Review

The Afr View

How Labor became the party of handouts for the rich

It is an upside-down world when Labor, traditionally the working-class party, is using tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer funds to help the...

yesterday 8

Financial Review

John Kehoe

Fear after Bondi is putting free speech on trial

Instead of rushing to add new laws to an already swollen statute book, we should enforce rigorously and without hesitation the laws already in place.

yesterday 10

Financial Review

Peter Kurti

AI is killing grad jobs and making MBAs matter more

The challenge is not to add fashionable modules on AI tools, but for education to build judgement and decision-making capabilities, and to...

yesterday 10

Financial Review

Jenny George

Your super is footing the bill for someone else’s gamble

The CSLR was intended to give basic protection to mum and dad-type investors. It should not be a collectively funded vehicle for removing...

yesterday 6

Financial Review

Simon Birmingham

This time it’s different. Iranian mullahs are on borrowed time

Nationwide protests entering their third week are showing no sign of abating and there are now serious parallels to the lead-up to the 1979...

previous day 10

Financial Review

Patrick Gibbons

Trump’s target is not only Powell but US Fed’s inflation independence

Has the President’s latest outrageous attack on the Federal Reserve chair signalled the end of a broadly successful monetary policy era?

previous day 10

Financial Review

Stephen Grenville

And the next Federal Reserve chairman is … Donald Trump

The US president has long spoken in thuggish terms about chair Jerome Powell and his reluctance to slash interest rates as fast as Trump would like.

previous day 10

Financial Review

Katie Martin

The Fed’s six big challenges in 2026

While the focus will be on President Donald Trump’s choice to succeed Jerome Powell, there are many other worries for markets to navigate.

previous day 10

Financial Review

Bill Dudley

Is our tax system fit for purpose? The $200b costing the budget

Imagine what the government could do if it chose to cut back on some of the 300 taxation expenditures, or even just stopped adding to the number of...

previous day 10

Financial Review

Melissa Bray

Iran exposes Israel double standards

Probing the fixation with Israel must form part of the deliberations of the Bondi royal commission as it seeks out the drivers of the rising tide...

monday 10

Financial Review

The Afr View

The case for national hate speech law reforms after Bondi

After antisemitic attacks in my electorate, I proposed to introduce stronger hate speech laws addressing vilification. Both major parties declined...

monday 10

Financial Review

Allegra Spender

Adelaide Festival cancellation is about humanity, not identity

Authors boycotting the event seem unaware the Bondi attack has revealed to mainstream Australia the phenomenon of antisemitism clothed as...

monday 10

Financial Review

Adir Shiffman

More hate speech laws no panacea for Bondi massacre

One must question whether Anthony Albanese’s decision to recall parliament to rush these laws through is a lazy diversion to make him look “on...

monday 1

Financial Review

Morgan Begg

Platforming division at literary festivals is not artistic freedom

Literary festivals can and should be edgy, challenging and thought-provoking. But festivals must not platform speech that is hateful and divisive.

monday 10

Financial Review

Kathy Shand

Three ideas to lift Chalmers’ productivity grade in 2026

The treasurer surely gets an A for diagnosis of the problem. His market for solution is pending. But it’s not looking good so far.

monday 1

Financial Review

Richard Holden

Time for sleepwalking on antisemitism is over

The announcement of a royal commission was necessary and welcome. But this cannot be where things end. We must be clear-eyed about what this moment...

monday 1

Financial Review

Steven Lowy

There is no magic pudding for private hospitals

The health minister should proceed with caution and be wary of government interventions that suboptimally shift costs around an inefficient private...

monday 1

Financial Review

The Afr View

The Dry January experiment is creating a more sober country

Experts say Dry January is less about permanent abstinence and more about evaluating how alcohol affects our mental performance and emotional...

11.01.2026 10

Financial Review

Lisa Jarvis

Why Wilcox cartoon stung grassroots Bondi campaign

The imagery echoed long-standing antisemitic tropes just as a multi-faith coalition was scraping together donations to buy advertising space to be...

11.01.2026 10

Financial Review

Danny Berkovic

Economics explains Donald Trump’s bid for Greenland

The United States has realised that leasing military access from Denmark is an incomplete contract fraught with intolerable transaction costs.

11.01.2026 2

Financial Review

Sinclair Davidson